Fire & Ice
by Spyder Webb
Summary: Fifty plus themes written for Axel and Cloud. Yes, Axel x Cloud. Spoilers for KH2...I think.
1. Gamma

**Fandom:** Kingdom Hearts  
**Pairing:** Axel x Cloud Strife  
**Theme set:** Gamma  
**Rating:** PG-13 (unsure)  
**For:** Fifty themes; one sentence each.  
**Notes:** It is my belief that Axel is Reno's Nobody. I don't care about the 'add an x to the name and mix the letters' stuff.

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**#01 - Ring**

Nobody ever knew who was on the other line; the only thing they did know was that as soon as Cloud's phone rang with 'Fight Fire, with Fire', the blonde was quick to disappear.

**#02 - Hero**

He was sick of always being the hero; at least that's how he justified the fact that he was technically sleeping with the enemy.

**#03 - Memory**

While Cloud wanted to remember everything from the life he'd forgotten, Axel would always smirk and promise to make new better memories for the blonde.

**#04 - Box**

Axel had stared at the box the blonde had handed him, not even curious about what lay inside, but too caught up in the fact that this was his first-ever present.

**#05 - Run**

When Cloud had had his first run in with the fire-wielding Nobody during one of Axel's missions in Hollow Bastion, he'd mistaken him for someone else; Axel was quick to correct him, _"Got it memorized?"_

**#06 - Hurricane**

Being with Axel was like being stuck in a hurricane – he attacked mostly without warning, wreaking havoc and creating chaos along the way - and leaving Cloud feeling devastated every time he left.

**#07 - Wings**

He could physically glide, but nothing more than that; it was when he and the redhead joined that he could truly fly.

**#08 - Cold**

"Hey buddy," Axel commented to Cloud one day after getting the cold shoulder again, "I'm unfeeling 'cause I don't technically have a heart, what's your excuse?"

**#09 - Red**

Red had meant a lot of things to Cloud, blood, death, suffering – but that was before – now it meant warmth, company…and dare he say passion?

**#10 - Drink**

"What's your poison?" Axel had smirked, throwing a bottle of water at the tired blonde; and after Cloud gulped down a few mouthfuls of water, he threw the bottle back with a soft reply as he went back to sparring; "You."

**#11 - Midnight**

Axel would always appear in the middle of the night and he and Cloud would walk under the light of the moon, not only was it romantic – not that Axel could tell - but nobody else was ever awake to see them.

**#12 - Temptation**

Every time Cloud pouted, Axel had to fight the urge to pin him against the nearest wall and completely take his mind away from whatever had caused this pout; so far, he'd always given in.

**#13 - View**

Axel wanted to see everything the way Cloud saw it, with emotions attached; but more than anything else, he wanted the other to watch everything with him.

**#14 - Music**

The warrior had been there, when the Nobody Demyx was defeated and though he felt guilty afterwards, the only thought that ran through his mind at the time was: "At least it wasn't Axel."

**#15 - Silk**

Green eyes stared at the hand that was held within his own, calloused from gripping that monstrous sword, scarred by hard work and battles, yet still felt smooth while moving along his own skin.

**#16 - Cover**

Cloud didn't mind the rain, though sometimes he grew a little cold; Axel on the other hand was slightly miffed that they were standing outside as it poured, soaking him to the bone – though he had to admit, it made for a good cover – and Cloud was always there to help him stay warm.

**#17 - Promise**

All the proclaimed 'Oh my god, I love you's in the heat of the moment were all empty promises, both knew this, but tended to pretend they didn't.

**#18 - Dream**

Sometimes, Axel dreams of his past as a Somebody – not always, but sometimes – and sometimes, through the darkness and smoke of memories he'd long forgotten, he sometimes thinks he sees a flash of bright blue or golden yellow or hears a familiar laugh.

**#19 - Candle**

Cloud liked to think that he was open-minded – he _was_ sleeping with a Nobody after all – and although he knew Axel had a kink fetish from the very beginning and had seen it with his own eyes, he still wasn't sure it was physically possible to do _that_ with a candle!

**#20 - Talent**

Cloud had this hidden talent for making Axel think that he didn't need to regain his heart and become whole – he was already _Somebody_ to the blonde.

**#21 - Silence**

Despite what the other Organization members thought, Axel knew how to be quiet – it was especially helpful when another mouth was effectively swallowing his moans.

**#22 – Journey**

Cloud secretly dreaded the day that Axel would not find his way back to him.

**#23 - Fire**

It was cliché, but Axel's touch lit the fading flame within Cloud's soul almost to the point of leaving burns.

**#24 - Strength**

Whenever Cloud would look at him with those kicked puppy dog eyes, heart or no heart, Axel found himself going weak in the knees and giving in.

**#25 - Mask**

They both wore masks, even around each other, while Cloud was trying to pretend he felt nothing, Axel was trying to pretend he felt everything.

**#26 - Ice**

If Axel was fire, which he most definitely was, then Cloud was ice – though how the one with a heart seemed more emotionless than the one without a heart, Axel wasn't sure.

**#27 - Fall**

It was hard to not fall for the darkness when a being of that element always cuddled up against him while they slept.

**#28 - Forgotten**

Half the time they forgot that Axel was a Nobody and had a very different life when he was away from the swordsman, and when the fact was remembered again, an awkward silence always followed.

**#29 - Dance**

They didn't dance – that was just too romantic, but they did spar, and their fighting alone was almost like a dance.

**#30 - Body**

Cloud knew that part of what had attracted Axel to him was his blonde hair and blue eyes, and this was confirmed when in a moment of ecstasy, Axel had called out a different name all together.

**#31 – Sacred**

Even Axel was forbidden to drive Cloud's beloved motorcycle, not to say he didn't try – constantly.

**#32 - Farewells**

He'd never got to say goodbye to the one who'd stolen his heart, he blamed Sora for that.

**#33 - World**

Cloud always knew when another member of the Organization had fallen when Axel would seek him out before the world had yet to grow dark.

**#34 - Formal**

When he was with the blonde, the first thing Axel would do after their 'hello' kiss was strip from his official Organization rob and pull on a pair of clothes that Cloud kept hidden for him.

**#35 - Fever**

He'd been thinking about the intense night they'd spent together when a hand on his forehead had brought him back to reality; "You were smiling," Leon explained, "I thought you'd gotten sick."

**#36 - Laugh**

Cloud didn't laugh, sure, he smiled, smirked or snorted his amusement, but he never laughed – he figured that Axel faked it for the both of them.

**#37 - Lies**

Cloud wasn't sure how he managed to lie to Sora and the others, but really, how was he going to explain that he was pretty sure that he was _in love_ with a member of the Organization?

**#38 - Forever**

There was no forever for them; Axel could have very well been Sora's next conquest, while Cloud was still searching for Sephiroth, but they tried to make every little moment together count.

**#39 – Overwhelmed**

Axel was stunned into silence when Cloud confessed one night, "You don't need to regain your heart, you already own mine."

**#40 – Whisper**

In the quiet of the night, when neither spoke, Cloud could sometimes swear that he heard the faint whisperings of Axel's non-existent heart.

**#41 - Wait**

He felt silly saying it, but it was what he'd felt, "I'll wait for you to regain your heart, then I want you to repeat those words."

**#42 - Talk**

Around Axel, Cloud found it easy to speak freely since the Nobody had no heart to judge him with.

**#43 - Search**

Cloud wasn't the one he'd been looking for, but Axel found that he didn't really mind.

**#44 - Hope**

While listening to Cloud's heartbeat, Axel liked to think that if he had a heart of his own, they'd beat on the same rhythm.

**#45 - Eclipse**

Sometimes, when he looked at Axel, he could see someone else in his place, but more and more Axel was beginning to finally see Cloud and not Number Thirteen – and he definitely liked what he saw.

**#46 - Gravity**

Axel had been staring at him with a peculiar expression for the last ten minutes, Cloud was about to ask what his problem was when a pale hand reached out and poked the spikes on his head – Cloud rolled his eyes and sighed a long suffering sigh; "Before you ask – they're natural."

**#47 - Highway**

Fenrir at top speeds could never compare to the adrenaline rush left by Axel's kiss.

**#48 - Unknown**

It was something they were both uncomfortable with, the never knowing if they'd see each other again, never knowing if that last kiss really would be their last.

**#49 - Lock**

Axel found that only he had the key that unlocked Cloud's true smile, and he kept it close, near the place where his heart should have been.

**#50 – Breathe**

Axel was a bright and colourful addition to Cloud's dreary and grey existence; a breath of fresh air in an otherwise stale life.


	2. Epsilon

**Fandom:** Kingdom Hearts  
**Pairing:** Axel x Cloud Strife  
**Theme set:** Epsilon  
**Rating:** PG-13 (unsure)  
**For:** Fifty themes; one sentence each.

**Notes:** ...I'm really beginning to like this pairing even though others don't, oh well, can't please everybody. I think about two of these sentences actually go together, the rest are completely separate and unorganized. And I'm sorry for making some characters jerks :( 

**#01 - Motion  
**Cloud pressed a finger to Axel's lips, motioning for him to be quiet, as a certain thief had started listening at his door.

**#02 - Cool **  
He pouted to himself as he watched the blonde storm away from him, over something stupid he'd said – it's not like they had a lot of time together anyway and Axel wondered how long it would take the other to cool off.

**#03 - Young **  
Sometimes Cloud would have a moment where he acted younger than his twenty some years and would do something completely out of character – Axel liked those moments.

**#04 - Last **  
Axel panted, "The last time I was tied up like this, it was an actual punishment."

**#05 - Wrong **  
"Don't get me wrong Sunshine," Axel smirked, "I may look like a bottom, but looks can be deceiving."

**#06 - Gentle **  
Cloud was surprised at how gentle Axel could actually be – being what he was – but he wasn't about to complain.

**#07 - One **  
Axel pouted, "Don't any of your friends think you deserve to be happy?" He began when he and Cloud had run for cover upon seeing a few of the other residences of Radiant Garden; the blonde had sighed and ran a hand through his blonde hair as he thought of a gentle voice and the colour pink, "Just one."

**#08 - Thousand **  
Sora - except it wasn't really Sora - stared at the object he held in his hand, blue eyes not belonging to the Keyblade wielder stared sadly at the image in that swordsman's cell phone; he studied the two people cuddled together, smiling, laughing as the camera snapped a picture – they really were worth a thousand words.

**#09 - King **  
How else was Cloud supposed to respond to "Make me forget my name damn it!" but with a smirk and a "Yes your majesty," in return.

**#10 - Learn **  
Axel may not have known how to love, and as impossible as it may have been, he would have spent eternity with the blonde learning how.

**#11 - Blur **  
The two bodies, which were fast asleep, tangled together in a way that screamed devotion and love, blurred before a set of shadowed blue eyes as the forgotten figment closed the door.

**#12 - Wait **  
"Wait, wait, wait, let me get this straight," Axel shook his head as he stared at the blonde, "so you're telling me that you really weren't compensating with that sword of yours?"

**#13 - Change **  
It was little things that got the others thinking at first: Cloud would laugh at something silly Yuffie said, he'd smile when Leon challenged him, and he'd stopped flinching whenever Aerith or Tifa came into contact with him; and there was always the muffled noises coming from the blonde's room most nights…

**#14 - Command **  
"I command you to stay away from that _thing_," Leon hissed darkly, only to receive a glare and a warning hiss of "I don't take orders from you," before the blonde exited the room.

**#15 - Hold **  
Sometimes Cloud just wanted to hold onto Axel, cuddle the Nobody, remind them both that they had each other and while they were with each other, life was good…

**#16 - Need **  
…and sometimes, Axel needed him to.

**#17 - Vision **  
The Superior's vision of their future didn't hold onto Axel the way it used to and it was getting harder and harder to pull himself away from the blonde to go back on his mission.

**#18 - Attention **  
Sephiroth chuckled, "So now that I have your attention, I have a question to ask: how is it that you can sleep with evil and enjoy it – but you won't join with your own darkness to become whole?"

**#19 - Soul **  
"Well," Aerith began, showing her support for Cloud as she always did, "If two people can share a soul-" She glanced at Sora, "Then why can't two people share a heart too?"

**#20 - Picture **  
Sora's expression was a mix of confusion and absolute horror, "Cloud? What's this?" He demanded as he held up the blonde's cell phone – which was clearly displaying an image of a certain redheaded Nobody.

**#21 - Fool **  
The redhead showed up one night, the way he always did – only this time he was ragged and exhausted and looked as if he'd just crawled through the Underworld, "I fooled them," He grinned, flopping down on the small bed – pulling Cloud down with him, "They think I'm dead now, I can just stay here…" He trailed off, burying his face in the other's chest.

**#22 - Mad **  
Cloud growled, startling everyone except Aerith, "Will you all just shut up! I'm happy, God, for once in my life, I feel happy, do I not deserve the happiness he brings me just because he's a Nobody?"

**#23 - Child **  
Their pasts – especially their childhoods – were touchy subjects; one didn't have one and the other wanted nothing more than to forget.

**#24 - Now **  
Two bodies moved together in perfect unison, and the quiet was broken by a whispered demand of, "You, inside me, now."

**#25 - Shadow **  
"I dunno," Axel plucked the lone Shadow Heartless off of the ground before it could disappear, "They're actually kind of cute," He dropped the creature into Cloud's arms – startling the blonde - and as he walked passed them, Cloud and the Heartless shared a sceptical look.

**#26 - Goodbye **  
As the rain poured down and as the blonde walked away from him, Axel couldn't help but think of how familiar the situation was.

**#27 - Hide **  
Just before the sun woke up, two figures would huddle together, hiding under a soft blanket, refusing to be separated for a few more moments.

**#28 - Fortune **  
"Beware the fire – though elegant and beautiful, it is manipulative and deadly."

**#29 - Safe **  
"Axel," Sora cornered him, "You're safe from me in Hollow Bastion as long as you don't attack anybody – and only because Aerith likes seeing Cloud smile."

**#30 - Ghost **  
Green eyes twinkled at the stunned blue eyes that stared back, "Come on Cloud, don't tell me you've forgotten about me already – I was allowed to come back since I sacrificed myself for the brat, heart and all."

**#31 - Book **  
Axel flipped the pages of the magical book he'd found on a small table in a corner as he smirked in Cloud's direction, "Wonder what sex in the Hundred Acre Wood would be like."

**#32 - Eye **  
Axel snorted when he realized it, "Hey, have I ever told you that your eyes sparkle?" He snickered even after Cloud had punched him in the shoulder; "They don't sparkle, they _glow_."

**#33 - Never **  
"The way I understand it, he'll never be able to love you in return…" Sora spoke softly, but Cloud didn't care as long as Axel continued to try.

**#34 - Sing **  
Yuffie gawked, "If you're seriously in love then you should show it a little more," She advised after slapping him on the back; and as Cloud glared at her disapprovingly he heard Leon snort and reply, "Did you expect Cloud of all people to sing and dance?"

**#35 - Sudden **  
It was like a sudden, unexpected electric shock that had run the entire length of his body when green eyes watched the blonde get attacked and swarmed by a fierce bunch of Heartless – he could actually _feel_ something, and with another startling realization, Axel comprehended that it was fear he could feel – fear for the man about to lose his heart.

**#36 - Stop **  
The world was melting in an inferno of intensity and he could see nothing but white and red – it was like he was burning from the inside out as the fire coursed through his veins to dance along his nerves and melt his very bones; blue eyes glazed over and a choked voice gasped, "Oh god, Axel don't stop."

**#37 - Time **  
He had to leave again – and again he didn't want to, covering a sigh he looked at the silent man in front of him, and he gazed down at their intertwined fingers, wondering how nifty it would be to be able to stop time.

**#38 - Wash **  
"Hold still," Axel demanded, grabbing Cloud's chin so he could look at the burn that had marred the other's cheek, "If you don't let me wash that out and treat it your pretty face with scar."

**#39 - Torn **  
Axel wasn't sure anymore – Roxas or Cloud?

**#40 - History **  
It had been a rare moment of quiet, when Axel was drifting in his own world and in his sleep whispered the one word – name – that seemed to always stab Cloud in the heart; he had known from practically the very beginning of this affair that Axel had a history with that of Thirteen – a very _active_ history at that, and though Axel had forced himself to move on; things still slipped, and Cloud still hurt.

**#41 - Power **  
He could easily throw the wiry frame off him, but why fight it since they both liked this position best?

**#42 - Bother **  
Beady black eyes blinked in confusion as he realized that one of his pots of honey had gone missing and in it's place a little note that read 'Thanks for the lube – Number VIII' had been left in its place, "Oh bother," Pooh Bear muttered.

**#43 - God **  
Axel was not religious, it was a silly notion to a Nobody – all he had was the Organization and the Superior's ideals, but damn did he take every opportune – and some inopportune – moments to worship Cloud's body.

**#44 - Wall **  
One minute he was looking out at the castle, the next he found himself pinned against the crystal wall behind him, and as long as Axel kept doing that thing with his tongue, Cloud didn't mind.

**#45 - Naked **  
Cloud closed his eyes and shook his head, "Now I feel naked," He muttered quietly just as the redhead snatched the towel away and replied with a smirk and a "And now you are naked."

**#46 - Drive **  
Green eyes glinted and the redhead grinned with glee as he pulled the stolen motorcycle back into its parking space, he jumped off and stretched only to find a set of cold blue eyes glaring at him from the dark corner on the other side of the room, the Nobody sighed, "Oh snap."

**#47 - Harm **  
"What harm could it do?" Axel grinned mischievously as he slid up to bite the blonde's neck; Cloud raised an eyebrow, "I did have the intention of walking tomorrow."

**#48 - Precious **  
And as he watched the redhead lavish more attention on the damn bike then on him, Cloud knew who meant more to the other.

**#49 - Hunger **  
The Nobody blinked, "Uh, Cloud, why are you looking at me like I'm a ten course meal and you've been starving for a ye-ahhhhhh!"

**#50 – Believe**  
A portal opened and a figure stepped out beside Demyx, who stood on the top of a building that overlooked the Bailey and the blonde that Axel had just separated from, "I'm beginning to believe all your talk about us actually having hearts," Axel began, "I think…I think I'm really in love."


	3. Delta

**Fandom:** Kingdom Hearts  
**Pairing:** Axel x Cloud Strife  
**Theme set:** Delta  
**Rating:** PG-13 (unsure)  
**For:** Fifty themes; one sentence each.  
**Notes:** Some of them can be put together, and others have nothing to do with the rest. And I realize I focus everything in Hollow Bastion, but I really don't know the Organization too well except for about five members. x.X

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**#01 - Air **  
Cloud pinched his nose, unsure if whether the other's finally accepting Axel was a good thing or a bad thing as yells of 'You're so full of hot air you stupid pyro!' and 'At least I'm not a ninja-wannabe airhead!' echoed through the Market.

**#02 - Apples **  
Axel naturally smelled like burnt cinnamon, it wasn't overpowering or anything, but it always lingered around him and whenever he'd use the apple scented shampoo that he'd found in Cloud's shower, the two scents would mix together and make Cloud's mouth water.

**#03 - Beginning **  
It hadn't been all sunshine and smiles in the beginning, they were both the enemy and neither were sure how far they could trust the other.

**#04 - Bugs **  
Leon huffed as he cornered Cloud after a long day of working on the restoration of their world, "Take your boyfriend home and do whatever you need to do to shut him up – he bugs me," and that was one order that Cloud wasn't going to disobey.

**#05 - Coffee **  
Cloud adapted to things pretty easily – it had been a necessity to staying alive – and when he realized that the only fun way to calm Axel when he was loaded with caffeine and bouncing off the walls was to go at it like bunnies until the redhead passed out from exhaustion – he'd adapted without complaint.

**#06 - Dark **  
With a growl and a pounce, Axel had the swordsman pinned against the ground and green eyes glared down at him, "Don't you dare call yourself a Heartless – I mean, sure you made a contract with the darkness and you were lost for a while – but you found yourself and you have a heart, a really big heart – you'd have to, to accept someone like me."

**#07 - Despair **  
Axel had appeared, as usual and almost immediately he could sense a change in the blonde sitting on the bed, confused he studied the other – who seemed even more depressed than the last time they'd been together – until Cloud finally looked at him and sighed, "They know."

**#08 – Doors**  
Axel never used doors and Cloud was pretty sure it was because the redhead was highly amused every time he'd startle the blonde with his sudden appearances – and if Cloud ever asked, Axel would tell him he was right.

**#09 - Drink **  
Cloud smirked behind the cup of tea Aerith had offered him a few moments ago as he watched Axel start on his second cup of coffee.

**#10 - Duty **  
Cloud was a depressed sort of person, Axel understood this well and made it his personal duty to make the blonde smile and chase away the darkness as much as he could.

**#11 - Earth**  
The earth was cool as two figures – both cloaked in black – lay upon it, staring up at the star littered sky, and with a contented smile, green eyes glanced over at his companion before returning to the vast ocean above them, "I didn't know that being happy could be so simple."

**#12 - End **  
Axel sighed, giving up, it didn't matter how much they argued about it, he supposed, the end result would be the same as always, and one of them would be tied to that bed.

**#13 - Fall **  
Axel wanted to know, so Cloud told him that he felt that being in love was like falling through a dark hole where you couldn't see anything above you or anything below you because love's blind like that and even though falling can be a scary thing, the thrill is almost always worth it.

**#14 - Fire **  
Aerith had been worried ever since Sora had come back to their world and revealed that Axel had sacrificed himself for the Keyblade wielder; she'd grown concerned when Cloud grew a little more self-destructive each passing day, and her heart sank when he'd completely converted back to his old self – his passion had died.

**#15 - Flexible **  
It may not have looked like it, but they both had schedules – Cloud had been roped into helping the others in Radiant Garden, and Axel was working for the Organization, and though Cloud's schedule was more flexible and easy to change, it was up to Axel to decide when he'd appear.

**#16 - Flying **  
Axel curled around the blonde's body and leaned his ear against Cloud's chest so he could hear the strong heartbeat the way he always did when he felt listless, and he sighed softly when an arm wrapped around his shoulders, "You know, being with you, even just like this…makes me feel free."

**#17 - Food **  
Cloud stared at the fruit Axel had just thrown at him in confusion; it kind of looked like one of Yuffie's shuriken…except yellow-er; he looked at the redhead for an answer – was Axel _blushing_? – "Heh, there's this legend to go with this fruit, you see…"

**#18 - Foot **  
"Cloud," Axel whined as he knocked on the locked door again – sure, he could have easily used a portal to enter the room, but he had more respect for the blonde than that and the lock was an obvious sign that he wasn't allowed to enter just yet; "Look, I'm sorry – it was an accident, Zexion always said I have an eternal case of Foot-In-Mouth syndrome – ah come on, next time we're having sex on Fenrir, I promise to call out your name instead of the bike's!"

**#19 - Grave **  
The Proof of Existence was quiet and peaceful and whenever he wanted to be alone, he'd borrow one of Cid's gummi ships and travel to The World That Never Was – it was easy since all the doors had stayed open – and because the world had been abandoned, he knew he was the only one there so he was able to sit beside the broken 'headstone' and mourn by himself.

**#20 - Green **  
A Nobody was just the leftovers – the soul in a shell of a body that had been left behind; but wasn't a soul as important as a heart? Cloud thought so, and he found it ironic, that a Nobody – a being apparently incapable of feeling – could show such emotion through the windows of his soul.

**#21 - Head **  
Axel was making a few Assassin Nobodies _dance_ – some were waltzing, some were doing ballet – one was even line dancing – when Cloud came upon him, and the blonde just looked at him and muttered, "Sometimes I wonder what goes through your head, other times, I'm not sure I want to know."

**#22 – Hollow**  
A cold sense of dread settled in the pit of his stomach as Cloud noticed how Axel would sometimes seem to look through the Key-bearer and realized with a sick sense of detachment that there was a longing within the Nobody – a longing for something he could never have.

**#23 – Honor**  
Axel was warmed by the fact that Cloud kept him so close to his heart, Axel felt it a privilege – no one had ever done so before.

**#24 – Hope**  
It was a hopeless future, but nobody wanted to say anything to dampen the blonde's attitude – Axel would either be defeated by Sora, or the Nobodies would be victorious and they'd most likely be turned into Heartless along the way.

**#25 – Light**  
Blue eyes slowly fluttered open at the light caress along his cheeks, his neck and even his lips; Axel was awake and looking as if he hadn't slept at all – Cloud blinked as he watched the other and Axel only shrugged, leaning closer to place a light kiss on the blonde's forehead, "Just memorizing."

**#26 - Lost **  
When Axel had first spied the blonde, his first impression had been that he had been looking at a misplaced soul, he'd been right of course – but who'd have guessed that he'd be the one to guide that soul back to the light?

**#27 – Metal**  
Cid had observed it first: the fact that the couple acted like a pair of children while they fought – the _laughing_ and banter passed so easily between them despite the very real clanging between their weapons.

**#28 - New **  
The blue Ribbon around Cloud's left bicep was new and when asked what it was for, he'd just smile and shrug – nobody needed to know that Axel had given him the Accessory for protection.

**#29 - Old **  
Axel huffed even though he knew why the other was being difficult, "You know, your angsting is getting really old," he tried to play tough, tried to make the entire situation easier, but he couldn't keep his mask when Cloud muttered softly, "Then don't go."

**#30 - Peace **  
They leaned in ever so slightly, both felt shy as if they were innocent teenagers – the sun was at a perfect angle to glint off of the blonde's hair, and the rays caused those emerald green eyes to sparkle; their lips touched gently – there was no urgency, no fight for dominance – there was just tranquility.

**#31 - Poison **  
Everything about the blonde was like a drug – his voice, his kisses, his touches, his warmth, his light, his _everything_ – Axel wondered how long it was going to take before he overdosed.

**#32 - Pretty **  
Green eyes were staring at him and it was beginning to get on Cloud's nerves, he looked up at Axel for an explanation, but all the Nobody did was shrug his shoulders and smirked – he knew what the answer was going to be, but he had to ask anyway, "What would you do if I said that you were the prettiest thing I've seen on any world I've been on?"

**#33 - Rain **  
The redhead didn't like the rain, it was a constant in The World That Never Was and he much preferred Cloud's sunshine and warmth.

**#34 - Regret **  
Even though Axel was a Nobody and couldn't feel, Cloud still felt guilty when in the heat of an argument he'd say something he didn't mean.

**#35 - Roses **  
By the end of the day Cloud was ready to crawl into his bed and never wake up again – anything that could have gone wrong did and Leon, probably just to prove his alpha male status, had given Cloud all the dirty work – so when the blonde finally made it to his room and found two roses resting on his pillow, a black and a red, and he spied the body curled up fast asleep beside them, he decided that any long day was worth it if he got to come back to this.

**#36 - Secret **  
Axel secretly wished that Roxas had been Cloud's Nobody so that he wouldn't have to choose between them and instead could be with both of them.

**#37 - Snakes **  
He slithered through the darkness, focused on his unsuspecting pray – upon reaching his victim he pounced, coiling himself around the startled body and squeezing with all his limbs until his pray groaned, "Ah come on Cloudy, the sun's up and you should be too!"

**#38 - Snow **  
It rarely snowed in Radiant Garden, but when it did it got really cold; and while most of the others complained and whined, Cloud liked to take advantage of the fact that the fiery Nobody detested being cold and always wanted to cuddle.

**#39 - Solid **  
Axel was like a beacon in the darkness of Cloud's nightmares, and the Nobody made sure that once the blonde woke from one, he'd be there as something to hold on to.

**#40 - Spring **  
They always slept in Cloud's bed (it wasn't like Axel was going to take the blonde back to the Organization – oh, that would have been fun) and though it wasn't a large bed, it was big enough for the both of them – that of course didn't stop one from sleeping atop the other, neither wanting to rest upon that one damn coil that had come loose…

**#41 - Stable **  
"You realize that both of us are unstable and are liable to kill each other while being together, right?" Cloud mentioned one day, Axel only grinned, "At least we won't get bored."

**#42 - Strange **  
It had been strange at first, to randomly find Cloud either being pinned or pinning Axel against a random object – now it was becoming commonplace.

**#43 - Summer **  
"Damn it," Cloud muttered as he ran a hand through his hair as he looked at a pouting Axel, "Leon just retracted my holiday and he wants me helping out in the lab, lucky you, it looks like my summer's over," and something inside Axel shivered at those words.

**#44 - Taboo **  
Sora knew that he was welcome in Radiant Garden by all but Cloud – and he knew it wasn't because the blonde hated him – far from it, Sora knew that one day he'd come bearing the news of Axel's defeat and he'd have to tell Cloud that his lover wouldn't be coming back – it would be hard, but it was life when you were sleeping with the enemy.

**#45 - Ugly **  
In Cloud's eyes, his wing was still ugly – no matter how much Axel liked to run his fingers through the feathers, and no matter how _good_ those fingers felt.

**#46 - War **  
Yuffie started the pranks by stealing Axel's cloak one night and bleaching it white, then to add insult to injury she drew with a pink marker all over the cloth until it was covered with lollypops and of all things clouds – to spare Yuffie the wrath of a fire-using Nobody, Cloud promised Axel that it was her way of accepting him; that, of course, flew out the window when he saw that Yuffie had painted Fenrir pink – that meant war.

**#47 - Water **  
Cloud winced as the cold water hit him and he reminded himself of why Axel wasn't supposed to shower alone – he always used all of the hot water.

**#48 - Welcome **  
"Fanks." Axel muttered, taking the ice pack from Cloud's hand, watching as a smirk crossed the blonde's face as he nodded in a 'sure, anytime' kind of way and the redhead pouted, making a mental note to never call the swordsman 'pretty' again.

**#49 - Winter **  
All the pranking was put to a stop by Leon after one prank went too far and lead to both Yuffie and Cloud being locked in Scrooge McDuck's ice cream freezer for over an hour – while Yuffie was given blankets and hot chocolate to warm her up – Cloud was treated to a different kind of tending which involved a bed and a very warm blooded Nobody to cuddle with.

**#50 – Wood**  
There was a small wooded area outside Radiant Garden that almost nobody dared to go, trees surrounded the little site and tall grass could hide anything from view – it was a good thing too because much to Cloud's amusement, Axel was definitely up for anything.


	4. Alpha

**Fandom:** Kingdom Hearts  
**Pairing:** Axel x Cloud Strife  
**Theme set:** Alpha  
**Rating:** NC-17  
**For:** Fifty themes; one sentence each.  
**Notes:** ...order's different.

* * *

**#02 - Kiss **  
They didn't fight often – but when they did it was interesting and they didn't really last too long; Tifa shared her theory with Aerith one day, about how she figured they only fought so they could kiss and make up afterward. 

**#03 - Soft **  
Axel always had to be loud to be heard – it came from being one of the lower ranks in the Organization – and he was amazed when all Cloud had to do was whisper a soft word or use a gentle caress to get his point across to the redhead.

**#04 - Pain **  
Cloud blushed darkly as he hid his pained expression from everyone who was gaping at him while Axel and Yuffie laughed loudly at what the blonde had just mumbled – who'd have known that Cloud would be a closeted pervert?

**#05 - Potatoes **  
"Quiet shorty," Axel smirked, "You may carry around that big ass sword and have a wing sprouting from your back, but I control fire and…and I'm taller than you," He decided to prove his 'power' by throwing the blonde over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, "Now, let's go make out!"

**#06 - Rain **  
Aerith shook her head, as she pulled the shivering Nobody into the house, "I swear you two are going to catch something while you're gallivanting out there while it's pouring out, and then you'll have Leon to answer to when everyone is too sick to help with the reconstruction," she warned with a sweet smile as the redhead muttered, "We weren't gallivanting, we were dancing!"

**#07 – Chocolate**  
Next to cuddling up under a thick blanket with Cloud wrapped around him, the best way to warm up was a steaming mug full of Aerith's hot cocoa –the absolute best way to warm up, however, was under a thick blanket, cuddled up with Cloud _and_ drinking a steaming mug full of Aerith's hot cocoa – with marshmallows.

**#08 - Happiness **  
Cloud could probably count on one hand, the number of times he'd been truly content in his life, and this point in his life, with that head full of shocking red hair resting against his shoulder, was most definitely his favourite.

**#09 - Telephone **  
Axel had a habit of stealing Cloud's phone, taking a provocative picture with the camera and setting the image up as the background – Cloud had ignored many a call in his surprise.

**#10 - Ears **  
Axel sniggered as Yuffie left the room in a huff after accusing Cloud of being a heartless bastard – one, the choice of phrasing set him off from the very beginning, and two, she'd obviously never gotten the chance to nibble the pierced ear lobe that always made the blonde melt into a pile of goo.

**#11 - Name **  
The resemblance was amazing and Axel felt himself hesitate for a moment, but only a moment – he still needed to get rid of this one before he could tell the others about the Nobody being there – but he still had to ask, he had to get something from the one that looked so much like Roxas; "So baby, what's your name?"

**#12 - Sensual **  
Encased inside that smooth velvet heat, he burned far hotter than ever before and as the body above him arched a bit to take him in deeper he couldn't help the fleeting thought that this moment was perfect.

**#13 - Death **  
Cloud panted heavily as he finally collapsed, Axel falling on top of him, fingers automatically locked together, kisses soothed marked skin as their bodies moved into a perfect fit – and as they relaxed, exhausted but sated Cloud buried his nose against the Nobody's neck, "Six times is too much, you're going to be the death of me-" as he was cut off by a yawn Axel grinned sleepily, "But what a way to die!"

**#14 - Sex **  
It was obvious to everyone that they did it – and it was obvious to everyone that they did it often, but that still didn't stop the blush that stained Cloud's cheeks a light red whenever someone would mention it.

**#15 - Touch **  
Sometimes Cloud shied away from Axel's touch – an old habit that couldn't be broken – unable to feel hurt, Axel would ignore it, then proceed to wrap himself around the blonde anyway.

**#17 - Tears **  
Gentle fingers caressing his face brought Axel back to consciousness and he looked up into the blue eyes of his lover, confused for only a moment, the redhead realized that the blonde was touching the markings underneath his eyes.

**#19 - Wind **  
A slight breeze drifted through the ravine, kicking up a little dirt, and causing Cloud to faintly shiver, which gave Axel an excuse to drape himself over the blonde.

**#20 - Freedom **  
When they rode Fenrir together Cloud liked to drive as fast as he could go while still keeping control; Axel had figured out it was just an excuse to make the Nobody hold on to him tighter – so the redhead always did.

**#21 - Life **  
He'd never tell Axel, because there was a chance the Nobody wouldn't understand; but he'd grown so used to having the energetic redhead around, that he wasn't sure he'd ever be able to go back to the life he'd led before.

**#22 - Jealousy **  
Cloud knew it was impossible, but he sometimes caught himself wondering who Axel would choose if Roxas were able to come back.

**#23 - Hands **  
Yuffie teased them mercilessly every chance she got – she was The Great Ninja Yuffie – it was her job to annoy the hell out of one or both of them; though secretly, whenever she caught them holding hands, she'd have the urge to squeal in excitement.

**#24 - Taste **  
Cloud had been sceptical at first when Axel had handed him the light blue ice cream – he'd been wary of the name, but he'd eventually relented and tried it – and found that it kind of tasted salty, yet sweet.

**#18 - Speed **  
Axel's breath was ragged and something seemed to pulse rapidly in his chest as he ran through the streets of Hollow Bastion looking for a familiar face, he had to warn them, warn _him_ that the world was about to be attacked.

**#25 - Devotion **  
It was the perfect opportunity to be rid of another Organization member and Sora wasn't about to let it pass him by – but just as he was about to attack the cornered redhead the Keyblade was stopped with a loud clang; "Cloud-" Sora blinked, then hardened, "It has to be done – he's a Nobody, a member of the Organization – he's the bad guy, which side are you on?" And to the brunette's horror, the blonde warrior threw down his sword.

**#27 - Blood **  
Axel tenderly wrapped the clean bandages around Cloud's middle; making sure to keep pressure on the still bleeding wound along the blonde's back, just under his wing, where the Gunblade wielder had gotten in a lucky hit while the two had been sparring and as the sticky substance dried against Axel's skin, he absently wondered if his blood was red too.

**#28 - Sickness **  
Infection had spread quickly, and as he had been the one who had cleaned and dressed the wound, Axel felt guilty for not doing a better job – even when Leon of all people told him he could have done nothing more; but no one said a word when the Nobody refused to eat or sleep and just sat by the shivering blonde's bedside until the fever finally broke.

**#29 - Melody **  
When Axel fought, he moved to his own rhythm, and Cloud wanted, more than anything, to hear its melody.

**#26 - Forever **  
On a whim they had promised each other forever…no matter how short that forever would be.

**#30 - Star **  
They were rare but when a new one would pop up in the midnight sky, they both knew that Axel would have to leave – it meant that Sora had just locked another world and the Organization would have to make new plans.

**#31 - Home **  
Axel began spending less and less time in The World That Never Was, instead – unless on assignment – he'd spend all his time in Radiant Garden – though it certainly wasn't the _planet_ that he called home.

**#33 - Fear **  
Cloud was rudely awakened in the middle of the night by a girlish shriek and a body suddenly wrapped around his, and upon opening his eyes he found Axel pointing to the pillow he'd been using, attempting the dreaded 'puppy eyed' look – and upon glancing at the pillow the blonde fought he idea of rolling his eyes, simply getting up and shooing the hideous spider outside.

**#34 - Lightning/Thunder **  
You could rarely find one without the other, mostly they were spotted at the same time – but when you found only one, you could practically count in your head the seconds it took for the other to appear.

**#35 - Bonds **  
Aerith only smiled and shook her head when Leon demanded to know how she could support Cloud's decision to pursue the fraudulent relationship he shared with the Nobody; "You may not be able to see it, but something is happening between them and whether you believe it or not, Axel is feeling it too."

**#36 - Market **  
Tifa liked to openly flirt with Cloud and though he never stopped her, he never responded either, but that didn't prevent Axel from reminding the girl that Cloud was off the market – and Cloud never seemed to mind.

**#37 - Technology **  
Axel looked around at the room they'd entered through Tron's terminal and gave a low whistle of appreciation, then he turned and grinned evilly at the blonde beside him, "This gives an entirely new meaning to the phrase 'cyber sex'."

**#38 - Gift **  
Axel was blushing when he shoved the small package into the blonde's hands, "Here, it's stupid, and corny and you'll probably think I'm being a moron but I'm giving it to you anyway-" and with that the Nobody had taken off; curious, Cloud had opened the small box and had spied the small object that was nestled in the dark red velvet clothe: an silver earring in the shape of a chakram.

**#32 - Confusion **  
"What do you see in him anyway?" Demyx was slightly confused as to why his redheaded friend would always sneak off to that silly little world to visit that blonde man; and as much as Axel wanted to say 'My heart', he knew that the Sitar player wouldn't understand, so he settled with a simple, "Entertainment."

**#42 - Clouds **  
He was tackled before he even made it inside his bedroom door – not that he ever slept in it anymore – after pushing the other body off of him he turned around to glare at Demyx, "What's that thing in your ear?" The boy wondered as he peered closer at the earring– realizing with a slight start that it was the head of a wolf.

**#39 - Smile **  
He might not have smiled very often, but at least when he did they were _real_ – and though he knew it couldn't be helped, he would have given anything to see a real smile light up Axel's face.

**#40 - Innocence **  
Axel turned away, "Don't get me wrong, I'm happy that you love me, but I don't know why you do – I'm a _Nobody_ – I can't love you in return and I've done things, terrible things and I'm not sure how you could still-" But he was cut off by a gloved finger pressed against his lips, and so Cloud began the tale of an innocent boy out to defend the worlds, and a contract created by a dark lord and a tool searching for his light.

**#41 - Completion **  
Cloud yawned as he half listened to the sound of Axel's voice – wow, when the Nobody had something to rant about he certainly didn't hold back, oh well, at least the sound of his voice was nice – "So in conclusion, I'm going to strip you naked, tie you up, and have my wicked way with you right in front of everyone," and he was nice to look at too…wait a minute – he blinked as Axel smirked, "Knew you weren't listening."

**#43 - Sky **  
When Axel would come upon Cloud, who'd fallen into another daydream or memory, the redhead would sit beside him in silence and stare up at the sky – clear blue, cloudy with the chance of rain, or pitch black – and wait for the other to notice him.

**#44 - Heaven **  
Heaven, Axel had come to realize, only existed when he was with the blonde, one way or the other, whether they were being intimate – (he couldn't really say 'making love') – or just being together…

**#45 - Hell **  
Hell was going back to reality and the different – separate – lives that came with it.

**#46 - Sun **  
Cloud flinched when the sunlight hit him and he was about to curse its very existence until he opened his eyes and came nose to nose with a sleeping Axel who was curled up next to him, one arm had wrapped around Cloud's waist and a leg had been thrown over both of Cloud's; the blonde sighed and resigned himself to the fact that he wasn't going to be getting up anytime soon, and that would have been completely okay – if he didn't have to go to the bathroom.

**#47 - Moon **  
Leon was minding his own business while doing his rounds late one night, and as he climbed the stone steps that would lead him to the Bailey Yuffie came at him in the dark, clutching material to her chest and giggling madly, "Don't go into the Bailey unless you wanna see a full moon!" She warned before scurrying off and it took Leon a split second to realize that the material in her hands were two sets of clothes before two shouts of "Yuffie!" echoed from his destination.

**#48 - Waves **  
Waves of pleasure coursed through Cloud's body and he couldn't help the loud groan that slipped from his parted lips at the feel of Axel's hands on his body; Axel chuckled from his position behind the blonde, "You realize everybody's going to think that we're having sex, and not even consider that I'm only giving you a massage."

**#49 - Hair **  
Axel's favourite sleeping position was never something he thought much about, but now he always ended up waking up with a face buried in soft blonde hair – he wouldn't change that for anything.

**#50 – Supernova**  
Whenever Axel needed to leave, Cloud would let him wordlessly, and that only made the Nobody want to stay more, "Damn it, you're like a black hole – every time I try to leave you just suck me right back in!"

**#01 - Comfort **  
When he'd received the news of Axel's sacrificed, Cloud had just silently walked away – it wasn't until that night when he couldn't enter his own room for all the memories it held that he finally crawled into Aerith's waiting arms.

**#16 - Weakness **  
Leon was watching him from a distance; it seemed to be the only way to watch Cloud now that Axel was gone; and as the blonde fought an invisible enemy the brunette easily noticed the unsteady grip on the handle, or the irregular swipe of that blade – he was used to seeing it cut the air smoothly – as he drew closer to the other, the blonde stopped his assault with his back turned, shouldered the blade and then wiped a hand over his eyes and Leon understood, "It's not a weakness to cry for him you know."


	5. Beta

**Fandom:** Kingdom Hearts  
**Pairing:** Axel x Cloud Strife  
**Theme set:** Beta  
**Rating:** NC-17  
**For:** Fifty themes; one sentence each.  
**Notes:** Loki: Norse Mythology: He is the god of fire, mischief, a trickster, and very cunning.

* * *

**#01 - Walking**

When Axel would arrive in Radiant Garden, he'd calmly proceed along the streets until he finally caught sight of familiar blonde hair – then he'd cross the distance between them as fast as he could.

**#02 - Waltz**

"Damn it, you can't just come waltzing into a guy's bedroom without knocking first," Cloud hissed as both he and Axel fumbled for the bed covers as Sora and Yuffie stood in the doorway; Sora grew red with embarrassment, Yuffie just snickered.

**#03 - Wishes**

Arms and legs entangling around his own body woke the blonde from his sleep and his muffled grunt was easily translated by the other; Axel sighed, "Apparently wishing for a heart isn't something even a genie can do."

**#04 - Wonder**

Axel knew that Cloud would see someone different sometimes, and though he didn't mind, he couldn't help but wonder about the one that the blonde couldn't remember.

**#05 - Worry**

Cloud was tired and all he wanted to do was sleep – it quickly became obvious that that was not going to happen as Axel seemed to want to strip him naked – but didn't seem to what to do anything but look – he glared at Axel and wordlessly demanded to know what the other was doing; Axel just grinned and scratched the back of his head sheepishly, "Uh, checking you for injuries…"

**#06 - Whimsy**

"You two should have babies!" Yuffie squealed after sneaking up on the Nobody and the swordsman, "They'd be so adorable!"

**#07 - Waste/Wasteland**

Sometimes, when Axel would arrive in Radiant Garden and Cloud was nowhere to be found, the redhead always knew to look for him at the Dark Depths, the cliff that overlooked the destroyed castle – it was the place the blonde would go to be alone, at least until Axel got there.

**#08 - Whiskey and rum**

The blonde handed Axel a glass of cool water and some aspirin as the Nobody cradled his aching head – at least Cloud wasn't the type of person to cause unnecessary noise just to teach the Nobody a lesson; he was, however, the type of person to say 'I told you so' in his own little way – "Now you know that accepting a drinking challenge from Tifa – in her own bar, was a stupid idea."

**#10 - Weddings**

Yuffie giggled as she made a point of flicking both of their pierced ears, causing them both to flinch and glare at her, "So, when's the wedding?"

**#11 – Birthday**

Axel was speechless as he stared at the motorcycle that stood beside Fenrir in one of Cid's garages; flames had been painted along the sides and by the note reading 'Her name is Loki' in Cloud's writing, it was obvious that the bike belonged to him.

**#12 - Blessing**

"Aerith warned you about dancing in the rain," Axel chastised as Cloud glared at him – trying to figure out how the Nobody got away without a cold, he was about to make a retort, but was interrupted by a sneeze – Axel sniggered as he muttered, "Bless you."

**#13 - Bias**

Axel snorted and looked at Yuffie as if she'd just grown another head, "You're way off, a fight between Squeon and Cloud, blondie and his big ass sword would win – and I'm not just saying that 'cause I'm sleeping with him."

**#14 - Burning**

Axel had had this uncomfortable burning sensation in his chest all day and though he really wanted to hope and believe, he didn't say anything to Cloud about it – because Axel wasn't lucky like that and whatever the sensation was, it would never be what he wanted it to be.

**#15 - Breathing**

Axel had a habit of waking up in the middle of the night, startled but unsure why, and at times the only thing that would help him go back to sleep was to listen to Cloud's steady breathing.

**#17 - Belief**

Neither one really believed that they could have a 'relationship' – oh, they hoped and they tried, but never truly believed.

**#18 - Balloon**

Axel hissed as he moved the icepack away from the blonde's eye, the entire side of Cloud's face was bruised and swollen, "What the fuck did Leon hit you with – a fucking gummi ship?"

**#19 – Balcony**

Axel didn't even know that Cloud's room had a balcony until he was being hung over it by the owner of the room, "C-come on Cloud, Yuffie forced me to look at those pictures – a-and you look frigging hot in a dress!"

**#20 - Bane**

Blue eyes narrowed as he glared at the evil cloak and that ornery zipper that was keeping him from the warm flesh he'd been craving all day.

**#21 - Quiet**

"Ax-" Cloud began but found himself cut off by a firm set of warm lips pressed against his, he let his eyes flutter shut and he relaxed into the arms that had surrounded him until Axel pulled away and grinned, "It's surprising, but sometimes you talk to much.

**#22 - Quirks**

Neither was really used to 'living' with another person and sometimes it got a little aggravating – but even though Cloud hogged all the blankets during the night, and Axel used all the hot water – they made it work.

**#23 - Question**

While talking with Aerith one day (which had become an everyday thing), Axel brought up the fact that he'd been trying to think of a way to get Cloud into a dress – like he'd witnessed in those pictures of Yuffie's; Aerith just giggled behind her hand and grinned, "You could always just try asking."

**#24 - Quarrel**

The day had been uneventful and Leon was beginning to notice the usual peacefulness of the entire place, and he happened to mention it to Cid; the older man chuckled and shook his head, "'Course it is, Spike and that pyro are fighting again."

**#25 - Quitting**

On some level Axel wouldn't have minded quitting the Organization, but it was really the only place – besides in Cloud's arms – that he belonged.

**#26 - Jump**

Aerith giggled, cutting Merlin off mid lecture on elemental magic, the old wizard 'huffed' lightly before he followed her gaze to the window and peered through the rain, even chuckling himself as they watched Axel try to coax Cloud into jumping through a puddle.

**#27 - Jester**

Cloud raised an eyebrow as he watched Axel and Tifa snickering to themselves, he kept quiet, letting them have their joke at his expense, but sighed when Yuffie joined in as well; the blonde sighed and muttered to Leon, "On some world, three villages are missing their idiots."

**#28 – Jousting**

There was a constant competition between the two of them – friendly, but still fierce – and if they weren't using weapons or words, they could usually be found with ropes and handcuffs.

**#29 - Jewel**

As Axel pondered this anniversary thing that Yuffie had mentioned ("Three months – and Cloud hasn't screwed it up yet!") he wondered exactly what kind of gift he should get the blonde…

**#30 - Just**

It wasn't fair – he didn't want to fight the blonde, but he had an obligation to the Organization and he _couldn't_ betray them – even if he _didn't want_ to betray Cloud.

**#31 - Smirk**

Cloud glared at the redhead and actually had the urge to seriously take his sword and do some damage to the cocky asshole, Axel just smirked as he stood his ground, "Aw, you know you love me."

**#32 - Sorrow**

It hurt to know the possible future outcome of their lives, and even though it weighed heavily on his mind, Cloud tried not to let it bother him – it wasn't worth grieving for Axel when the Nobody was still there.

**#33 - Stupidity**

Axel looked away, distressed, "You were stupid to think I could be _Someone_, all I'll ever be is nothing."

**#34 - Serenade**

"Oh, the wonderful thing about Tiggers is that I'm the only one, is that I'm the only -ack!" Axel squawked then glared back at the blonde who'd just smacked his ass with the flat side of his broadsword; Cloud glared back, "If you sing that one more time, it'll be the blade."

**#35 - Sarcasm**

"What do you mean…" blue eyes widened in surprise, then blinked as if coming out of a dream; Axel just shook the other by the shoulders, "I'm in love with Leon you idiot, I _said_ I love _you_ - what do you think I mean?"

**#36 - Sordid**

"Ah! My virgin eyes!" Yuffie screeched as she giggled to herself, all the while drawing attention to the two who'd just tried to sneak a kiss.

**#37 - Soliloquy**

Cloud was quiet, and Axel was loud, so when the blonde just didn't feel like a conversation, sometimes Axel would speak to himself – Cloud didn't mind, it was free entertainment when the redhead got into an argument with himself.

**#38 – Sojourn**

The assigned location had only been temporary, but then Axel had spied the blonde and when the assignment had long ago been completed, Axel still remained.

**#39 - Share**

He wasn't selfish – at least, he didn't think he was selfish – but he really didn't like sharing Axel with a memory.

**#40 - Solitary**

Axel glared as he crossed his arms, "Solitary means being alone, Cloud – I know I'm only a Nobody but you're not by yourself anymore, you need to get used to it."

**#41 - Nowhere**

Axel didn't really abuse his portals much, but on special occasions – like this one – he could make an acceptation; "Uh, Axel, we're in the middle of nowhere…" and that of course, had been the entire point.

**#42 - Neutral**

Blue eyes were the first to look away, "I will not fight you, I'll fight to survive, and I'll fight for this world, but I won't _fight you_," he argued, and Axel could only sigh, "But you may have to…"

**#43 - Nuance**

It had been so subtle at first that Cloud had been floored after realizing that his slight fascination with the redhead had turned into full-blown affection.

**#44 - Near**

At the beginning the sex was addicting – fast and passionate – now they could take their time to enjoy the slow and equally passionate pace they'd grown to like, as most times it was enough just to be near the other.

**#45 - Natural**

It had become normal for Cloud to automatically slip his hand into one of Axel's, or to duck under an arm snaking around his shoulders or to lean into the warm body pressed so closely to his own.

**#46 – Horizon**

Cloud, like someone else Axel used to know, liked the sunset – so after hearing this, the redhead decided to take the blonde to a place where it was a constant – and though it brought back some memories that were uncomfortable for him, it was worth it to see Cloud's smile lighting up his face.

**#47 - Valiant**

It was a force of habit to fight against the Heartless, so when one slithered up to Axel, Cloud was quick to destroy it, Axel just snickered and pounced on the warrior, "Oh, Cloud, my hero!"

**#09 - War**

It was always about Good Vs Evil and Dark Vs Light, and somehow Good and Light always won no matter who was hurt in the process.

**#48 - Virtuous**

"Promise me something…" Axel began, continuing only when he had Cloud's full attention, "Don't die – I mean, when the Organization comes to this world – don't die, and if…if something happens, at least let me be the one to take you out."

**#16 - Breaking**

Cloud had always known that Axel was on the dark side – it had just been forgotten from time to time, but as they stood facing each other, ready to battle _against_ each other for the safety of Hollow Bastion, he could feel his heart breaking in two.

**#50 – Defeat**

In some of his most vivid nightmares Cloud fought a form of Roxas, one that thought him unworthy to be with Axel and – because that's how nightmares go – the strength of the two Keyblades always thrashed him.

**#49 - Victory**

But when he'd awaken – heart pounding and breath fast as if he really had been in a battle – it was _him_ that Axel's arms snaked around no matter the outcome of the nightmare, so Cloud took his small victories where he could find them.

* * *


End file.
